Bearfootin' Bear: Boyce

Published: Thursday, August 1, 2013 at 8:19 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, August 1, 2013 at 8:19 a.m.

On May 10, the Bearfootin Bears returned to downtown Hendersonville. The painted bears, sponsored by local businesses to raise money for nonprofits, will be displayed downtown until they are sold in October at the 11th annual Bearfootin' auction. The Times-News will profile each bear here in the Community section leading up to the auction in the fall.

Facts

Bear: Boyce

Sponsor: HannahFlanagan’sNonprofit: MainstayArtist: Beverly Russell

What was the inspiration behind the design of the bear?

Matt Johnes at Hannah Flanagan's: Our bear is the alter ego of a mysterious person who has been seen around Henderson County for years. Some people say he's real, and others think he must be a figment of their imagination. Many local folks claim to have seen this mythical person, who is apparently a sort of leprechaun, since he is usually seen near open green spaces and Irish pubs. For this reason, upon seeing the bear for the first time, a tourist might look baffled and a local might fall down laughing. Our bear is a tribute to this Henderson County original. He's known by many different nicknames, but some say his real name is Boyce.

Briefly discuss the mission of the organization benefiting from the bear. Why did you get involved with this particular nonprofit and how is it reflected in the design of the bear?

Matt Johnes at Hannah Flanagan's: Mainstay is a shelter for victims of domestic abuse. The organization fills a vital need in our community. They're our Main Street neighbor, and we are proud to help support them. When you tour the facility and see the children's play area, you realize how important their mission really is. What could be more important than protecting kids? They have an excellent breakfast and lunch restaurant and a resale shop that everyone should visit.

Who was involved in the overall creative process to bring this Bear to downtown and what role did everyone play?

Matt Johnes at Hannah Flanagan's: After many years sponsoring bears, we were running out of ideas. But when we saw the size and shape of this year's bear, it was obvious to everyone at Hannah's what we should do. Just a little paint and some wire rimmed glasses made the bear the spitting image of a local legend. Our artist, Beverly Russell, did an amazing job. Beverly's role was to do all the work, and everyone else's role was to laugh a lot. You could say our bear brings a little laughter to Main Street.

How do you feel all of the elements of your bear (from nonprofit benefi ciary, design and sponsorship) represent the community as a whole?

Matt Johnes at Hannah Flanagan's: It's rumored that the subject of our bear does many good deeds in the community that people don't know about, even though he is known for being very loud. There are many folks in the community who help out and don't seek recognition, so our bear is a tribute to these folks and all the good they do.

<p>On May 10, the Bearfootin Bears returned to downtown Hendersonville. The painted bears, sponsored by local businesses to raise money for nonprofits, will be displayed downtown until they are sold in October at the 11th annual Bearfootin' auction. The Times-News will profile each bear here in the Community section leading up to the auction in the fall.</p><p>What was the inspiration behind the design of the bear?</p><p>Matt Johnes at Hannah Flanagan's: Our bear is the alter ego of a mysterious person who has been seen around Henderson County for years. Some people say he's real, and others think he must be a figment of their imagination. Many local folks claim to have seen this mythical person, who is apparently a sort of leprechaun, since he is usually seen near open green spaces and Irish pubs. For this reason, upon seeing the bear for the first time, a tourist might look baffled and a local might fall down laughing. Our bear is a tribute to this Henderson County original. He's known by many different nicknames, but some say his real name is Boyce. </p><p>Briefly discuss the mission of the organization benefiting from the bear. Why did you get involved with this particular nonprofit and how is it reflected in the design of the bear?</p><p>Matt Johnes at Hannah Flanagan's: Mainstay is a shelter for victims of domestic abuse. The organization fills a vital need in our community. They're our Main Street neighbor, and we are proud to help support them. When you tour the facility and see the children's play area, you realize how important their mission really is. What could be more important than protecting kids? They have an excellent breakfast and lunch restaurant and a resale shop that everyone should visit. </p><p>Who was involved in the overall creative process to bring this Bear to downtown and what role did everyone play?</p><p>Matt Johnes at Hannah Flanagan's: After many years sponsoring bears, we were running out of ideas. But when we saw the size and shape of this year's bear, it was obvious to everyone at Hannah's what we should do. Just a little paint and some wire rimmed glasses made the bear the spitting image of a local legend. Our artist, Beverly Russell, did an amazing job. Beverly's role was to do all the work, and everyone else's role was to laugh a lot. You could say our bear brings a little laughter to Main Street.</p><p>How do you feel all of the elements of your bear (from nonprofit benefi ciary, design and sponsorship) represent the community as a whole?</p><p>Matt Johnes at Hannah Flanagan's: It's rumored that the subject of our bear does many good deeds in the community that people don't know about, even though he is known for being very loud. There are many folks in the community who help out and don't seek recognition, so our bear is a tribute to these folks and all the good they do.</p>